Malaria assassinates one child every 30 seconds, equating to over 1,000 deaths per day and well over 20,000 a week. Malaria, a life- threatening disease caused by parasitic mosquitoes is quite prevalent in Nigeria, killing thousands per year. According to Healthline, a peer- reviewed medical information source; Malaria is caused by mosquitoes carrying the Plasmodium parasite living in tropical and subtropical climates. The parasite destroys red blood cells; if left untreated, Malaria can lead to organ failure, anemia, swelling in the brain, and other complications. According to the Malaria journal, “Malaria cases and deaths have risen steadily in sub-Saharan Africa since the late 1970s, especially in Nigeria.” (Yusuf 1). Thousands of Nigerians
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Lack of resources prevents people from seeking timely health care (Yusuf 2). Most Nigerians have minimal knowledge of health insurance and the National Health Insurance Scheme, Nigeria’s health insurance system. Funding for the NHIS comes from taxes, grants from the government, and donors. Although available, only 5% of Nigerians are covered by NHIS; while 1% opt for private insurance or community-based health insurance (Ewelukwa 2). The other 94% aren’t covered under insurance and pay medical costs out-of-pocket. Vaccinations for preventable diseases weren’t ready available either; “from 1994 to early 1996, there were no routine vaccinations available in the country..A report found that of 6000 public-health facilities visited, only 60% of refrigerators, freezers, and generators were functioning.” ( Hargreaves 2033). If that isn’t horrific enough, public health centers don’t open regularly due to staffing issues. The vast majority of Nigerian citizens don’t trust health centers so they opt for traditional healers or PMDs. They are trusted in the community and they are …show more content…
According to the Malaria Journal, “approximately 57.9% of all deaths from malaria in the world in 1990 occurred among the poorest 20% of the world’s population”. Malaria thrives in impoverished households, keeping them impoverished. In most cases, people can barely afford treatment; penny-pinching in order to buy medicine. At the very least, families should have an insecticide- treated bed net. Since the cost of conventional medicine may be too high for some families, they opt for patent medicine dealers or local herbalists who have no medical training at all. In a study published by the International journal for equity in health, The rich are more likely to seek treatment the day they begin experiencing symptoms; the poor are less likely to seek treatment due to their economic status. They may need more time to produce the funds for treatment. Using data gathered within the same study, it shows 62% of the poor seek treatment from patent medicine dealers. PMDs have no formal medical training; however, it’s cheaper than pharmacies which explains why poor residents are more likely to seek treatment here. On the contrary, the study shows 47% of the wealthy seek treatment in pharmacies and hospitals. In addition to the affordability for the wealthy, they are more likely to seek treatment in these environments because of class status. It is assumed the poor are illiterate and cannot
Lack of resources prevents people from seeking timely health care (Yusuf 2). Most Nigerians have minimal knowledge of health insurance and the National Health Insurance Scheme, Nigeria’s health insurance system. Funding for the NHIS comes from taxes, grants from the government, and donors. Although available, only 5% of Nigerians are covered by NHIS; while 1% opt for private insurance or community-based health insurance (Ewelukwa 2). The other 94% aren’t covered under insurance and pay medical costs out-of-pocket. Vaccinations for preventable diseases weren’t ready available either; “from 1994 to early 1996, there were no routine vaccinations available in the country..A report found that of 6000 public-health facilities visited, only 60% of refrigerators, freezers, and generators were functioning.” ( Hargreaves 2033). If that isn’t horrific enough, public health centers don’t open regularly due to staffing issues. The vast majority of Nigerian citizens don’t trust health centers so they opt for traditional healers or PMDs. They are trusted in the community and they are …show more content…
According to the Malaria Journal, “approximately 57.9% of all deaths from malaria in the world in 1990 occurred among the poorest 20% of the world’s population”. Malaria thrives in impoverished households, keeping them impoverished. In most cases, people can barely afford treatment; penny-pinching in order to buy medicine. At the very least, families should have an insecticide- treated bed net. Since the cost of conventional medicine may be too high for some families, they opt for patent medicine dealers or local herbalists who have no medical training at all. In a study published by the International journal for equity in health, The rich are more likely to seek treatment the day they begin experiencing symptoms; the poor are less likely to seek treatment due to their economic status. They may need more time to produce the funds for treatment. Using data gathered within the same study, it shows 62% of the poor seek treatment from patent medicine dealers. PMDs have no formal medical training; however, it’s cheaper than pharmacies which explains why poor residents are more likely to seek treatment here. On the contrary, the study shows 47% of the wealthy seek treatment in pharmacies and hospitals. In addition to the affordability for the wealthy, they are more likely to seek treatment in these environments because of class status. It is assumed the poor are illiterate and cannot